1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a device mounting apparatus, and in particular a clamp to secure lawn care instruments to a lawnmower.
2. Description of the Background Art
In order to properly maintain a lawn, it is necessary to use several tools. A lawn mower is the primary care tool used to maintain a lawn. After using the lawn mower on the entire landscape, the person maintaining the lawn has to return to a tool shed, trailer or other storage area to acquire the next lawn care instrument for the designated application. For instance a line-trimmer or stick edger would be necessary to maintain an area that is not accessible to the lawn mower. Therefore, it is desirable to be able to locate a line-trimmer or similar device on a walk-behind or rider type lawn mower for the convenience of the person maintaining the lawn.
A device that could be used by the person maintaining the lawn to secure the proper lawn care instrument in the vicinity of the work site is a portable wheeled cart. The cart allows the person maintaining the lawn to bring one or more tools to the work site. However, the cart requires the user to transport the cart separately from the lawn mower thereby requiring an extra trip by the individual to bring the needed tool to the work site.
A wide variety of devices are available for holding articles such as brooms, shovels and the like in suspension through the use of arms which have a frictional, clamping or wedging engagement with the handle of the article. Typically, these devices have been employed in storage areas such as closets, garages and basements.
Prior hereto, however, there has been a lack of appreciation to aid the person maintaining the lawn by providing a clamp that could be employed by a primary lawn care device to transport a secondary lawn care device.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a clamp that can be secured to a primary lawn care device to transport a secondary lawn care device.
This clamp must provide an easy and accessible means of securing one lawn care device to another lawn care device. Inasmuch as the art consists of various types of clamps for securing articles in a storage area, it can be appreciated that there is a continuing need for and interest in improvements to clamps for securing devices to different instruments, and in this respect, the present invention addresses these needs and interests.
Therefore, the principal object of this invention is to provide a clamp that can be used by a lawn maintenance person to reduce the number of trips necessary to a storage area for the appropriate lawn care device.
Another object of this invention is to provide a clamp that easily secures the lawn care device without damaging said lawn care device, yet holds said lawn care device securely enough so as not to dislodge it during mower use.
Yet still another object of the present invention is to provide a clamp that easily releases the lawn care device when said lawn care device is pulled upon by the lawn maintenance person.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a clamp that can be oriented in different positions in order to obtain the proper alignment for securing the lawn care device.
Another object of this invention is to provide a clamp that can be secured to a lawn mower by the means of a bolt.
Yet still another object of the present invention is to provide a clamp that employs a u-shaped body as the means of providing the opposing force to securely hold a lawn care device.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a clamp that employs a u-shaped body that is made of cold-rolled sprung steel.
Another object of this invention is to provide a clamp with at least one pair of rollers that are substantially parallel.
Yet still another object of this invention is to provide a clamp with at least one pair of rollers that are attached to a bracket which can be oriented to obtain the proper alignment for holding the secondary lawn care device.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a clamp where one pair of rollers are journalled through the insertion of the lawn care device into the clamp by the lawn maintenance person.
Yet still another object of the present invention is to provide a clamp where two pairs of rollers are journalled through the insertion of the lawn care device into the clamp by the lawn maintenance person.
Another object of this invention is to provide an extension bracket which can be connected to the primary lawn care device at one end and to the clamp at an opposite end.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide an extension bracket having a plurality of connection sites for attaching one or more clamps and said extension bracket can be connected at an end to the primary lawn care device.
Yet still another object of this invention is to provide a clamp comprising: a substantially u-shaped body; a first bracket; a first pair of parallel disposed rollers; a first journalled means for connecting said first pair of rollers in said first bracket; and a first securing means for connecting said first bracket to one side of said body whereby said secondary lawn care device may be frictionally held between said first pair of rollers and said side of said body.
Yet still another object of the present invention is to provide adjustability of distance between the pairs of rollers to allow for a variety of tensions of the grip of said lawn care device and/or to allow for varying thicknesses and shapes of lawn care device handles and shafts.
The foregoing has outlined some of the pertinent objects of the invention. These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the intended invention. Many other beneficial results can be attained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a more comprehensive understanding of the invention may be obtained by referring to the summary of the invention, and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.